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Author Topic: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?  (Read 1600 times)

Online Ben Framed

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How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« on: July 20, 2018, 09:13:56 am »
I'm just curious, can anyone tell me how deep does hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground? Also what can be used, if anything, to kill the larvae that has already burrowed into the ground? Thanks Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Sputnik

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2018, 10:49:58 am »
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2018, 10:54:43 am »
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.

Thanks Sputnik, what are you moving to inorder to get away from the poison for the hive beetle?
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline AR Beekeeper

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2018, 11:45:54 am »
How deep the larvae burrow into the soil depends on the soil type.  They are known to go 4 inches in soft soils, the ones I have seen in my beeyard were an inch or less.  The soil is hard clay and rock.

Offline paus

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2018, 12:30:54 pm »
I use a roofing material under my hives and incorporate DE in the soil around the edges, so that any larvae that crawls off the material will burrow in the soil with DE mixed in it.

Offline Sputnik

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2018, 12:46:12 pm »
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.

Thanks Sputnik, what are you moving to inorder to get away from the poison for the hive beetle?
Screened bottoms with oil pans.

Offline paus

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Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2018, 12:49:43 pm »
I use the oil pans also and I see very few SHB, BUT their time is not quite here yet.  Not in NE TX.